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Genital Human Papillomavirus Patti E. Gravitt, PhD Johns Hopkins University
Section A Biology of HPV
HPV Genome Organization HPV is a double stranded, closed circular (episomal) DNA virus with a genome size of 8,000 base pairs. E6 E7 E1 E5 L2 E2 L1 E4 early genes late genes URR* Notes: * URR = upstream regulatory region 4
HPV Genotypes More than 100 genotypes identified which infect human epithelium, ~50 which specifically infect the anogenital tract Approximately 17-18 are high risk, or oncogenic HPV 16, 18, 26, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 73, and 82 HR HPV infection is necessary, but not sufficient for development of invasive cervical cancer Remaining HPV types are not associated with cancer risk (low risk or non-oncogenic), but they can cause low grade cervical abnormalities or benign proliferative warts (especially HPV 6 and 11) 5
Prevalence of HPV Genotypes in Invasive Cancers Over 50% of invasive cervical cancers are attributable to HPV 16 Approximately 70% are attributable to HPV 16 or 18 Source: Bosch, et al. (1995), JNCI 6
HPV Life Cycle Source: Woodman CB, Collins SI, Young LS. The natural history of cervical HPV infection: unresolved issues. Nat Rev Cancer. 2007;7(1):11-22. Copyright 2007 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. 7
HPV Life Cycle Capsid gene expression and infectious particle released in exfoliating squamous cells HPV infects basal epithelium at sites of micro-trauma Viral genome amplification in suprabasal epithelial cells 8
HPV Life Cycle Notes on source material are available by clicking the Notes tab. Lack of epithelial differentiation, cellular genome instability, sometimes viral DNA integration Invasion through the basement membrane 9
Section B Epidemiology and the Natural History of HPV Infection
Working Model of Cervical Carcinogenesis: Risk Factors of Infection Normal cervix HPV infection Persistence High grade neoplasia Invasion Sexual behavior Partner s sex history 11
Mechanisms of HPV Transmission and Acquisition Sexual contact Predominately via penetrative sexual intercourse, including anal intercourse Also genital-genital, manual-genital, and oral-genital nonpenetrative contact Can explain some HPV-positive virgins Condoms offer modest protection if used correctly and consistently with every sexual contact. Winer, R.L., et al. (2006). N Engl J Med.; 354: 2645 Models estimate high per-sex-act transmission probability (40%) Trottier H., et al. (2006). Am J Epidemiol. Mar 15; 163(6): 534-43 12
Cumulative Incidence of HPV Infection from the Time of First Sexual Intercourse 94 students age 18-20 were followed from the time of first sexual intercourse for cervical HPV detection at four month intervals Cumulative incidence was 20% at six months, 30% at one year, and greater than 50% after four years Source: Winer RL, et al. Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection: Incidence and Risk Factors in a Cohort of Female University Students. Am J Epidemiol; 2003;157:218-226. Copyright 2003. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All Rights Reserved. 13
Most HPV Infections Are Transient Among young high-risk adolescent/young adult women, 50% of HPV infections clear within eight to twelve months and only ~10% persist past two-and-a-half years Among HIV+, average duration of infection is nearly two years, and more than 25% remain HPV+ after four-anda-half years of follow-up Source: Moscicki, et al. (2004). JID; 190:37-45. 14
Pre-Clinical Illness The majority of infections are self-limiting and asymptomatic (~80% of initial HPV infections remain asymptomatic after five years) HPV infection does not require cell death to complete infectious cycle and therefore causes no local inflammation or ulceration Clinical manifestations of infection are screen-detected epithelial abnormalities 15
Duration of Low Grade Intraepithelial Lesions (LSIL) In a study of women 13-22 years of age, there was a 91% probability of regression of LSIL cases within three years The probability of progression to high grade lesions (HSIL) within the same time frame was 3% Source: Moscicki, A.B., et al. (2004). Lancet; 364: 1678. Copyright Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 16
Cumulative risk of high grade CIN Current screening targets the identification of high grade lesions at greatest risk of cancer progression (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2-3, CIN 2/3) Risk of CIN 2/3 after first HPV infection is significantly higher for HPV 16/18 relative to other high risk genotypes 17
Younger Women Significantly More Likely to Regress HSIL over Short Follow-Up Persistent Lesion Resolved Lesion 35 (74%) 12 (26%) Age (years) <22 4 (11) 5 (42) 23-27 15 (43) 6 (50) >27 16 (46) 1 (8) In a study of 47 women with HPV, 16 positive CIN 2/3 lesions, 56% of women younger than 22 vs. 6% of women older than 27 resolved their lesions after about four months of follow-up 18
Epidemiologic Determinants of HPV Persistence, Progression, and Invasion Source: Moscicki AB, Updating the natural history of HPV and anogenital cancer. Vaccine 2006;24 Suppl 3 S42 51. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 19
Section C Diagnostics/Treatment
Diagnostics HPV is a screen-detected infection Not a reportable STI, population-based surveillance data unavailable New Mexico legislation Formerly only identified indirectly by cytologic evidence of infection/neoplasia from Pap smears Molecular tests currently available to detect and genotype HPV DNA 21
Digene Hybrid Capture 2 (hc2) Only FDA-approved HPV detection assay Targets HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68 Positive result = positive for one or more of the 13 high risk types Some low risk cross-reactivity 22
HPV Genotyping by Roche Linear Array Assay PCR-based test that targets a conserved region of the capsid genome (L1), differentiates presence of 37 high and low risk HPV genotypes Allows detection of multiple genotype infections Currently research use only (RLU) 23
Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Age to Begin Screening American Cancer Society (ACS) and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommend that you begin screening approximately three years after 1st vaginal intercourse but no later than age 21 The Pap test should NOT be the basis for onset of gynecologic care Adolescents who do not need a Pap should still get appropriate contraceptives services, STD screening, and other preventative health care 24
Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Screening Frequency/Cessation Screening should be done every year with the regular Pap test or every two years using the newer liquid-based Pap test Beginning at age 30, women who have had three normal Pap test results in a row may get screened every two to three years Another reasonable option for women over 30 is to get screened every three years (but not more frequently) with either the conventional or liquid-based Pap test, plus the HPV DNA test Women 70 years of age or older who have had three or more normal Pap tests in a row and no abnormal Pap test results in the last 10 years may choose to stop having cervical cancer screening Women who have had a total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix) may also choose to stop having cervical cancer screening, unless the surgery was done as a treatment for cervical cancer or pre-cancer 25
Indications for HPV Testing 1 Screening in Women over 30 Concurrent testing Screen with HPV and Pap If either test is positive, follow normal triage strategy and continue with annual screens If both tests are negative, extend screening interval to once every three years Sequential testing Screen with HPV test (triage with Pap) Immediate colpo for HPV/Pap positive Retest HPV+/Pap- at one year 26
Data Supporting Safe Expansion of Screening Interval Following HR-HPV Negative Test 8% Kaiser Portland NCI Study 1990-1999: 6% HPV + CIN 2/3 4% 2% HPV - 0% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Sherman, M.E., et al. (2003). JNCI; 95: 46-52 Years of Follow-Up
Section D Current Trends in the Epidemiology of HPV and Methodological Issues in Research
Working Model of Cervical Carcinogenesis Average Duration 8-12 Months Normal cervix HPV infection Persistence High grade neoplasia Invasion Sexual behavior Partner s sex history Immune suppression (HIV; Renal transplant) HLA Oc use? Viral type Parity Smoking Oc use Inflammation Angiogenesis Adhesion? Viral load? Source: Patti Gravitt, PhD. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 29
Working Model of Cervical Carcinogenesis Average Duration 8-12 Months Normal cervix HPV infection Persistence High grade neoplasia Invasion Transmission risk Partner studies Vaccine efficacy Sexual behavior Partner s sex history Persistence vs. latency determinants? Natural history in older women? Immune suppression (HIV; Renal transplant) HLA Oc use? Viral type Cofactors? Mechanism? Biomarkers? Parity Smoking Oc use Inflammation Viral load? Angiogenesis Adhesion? Source: Patti Gravitt, PhD. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health 30
Sampling Not systemic infection (localized to multiple foci of epithelium) Each infection may represent independent probability of disease progression vs. infection clearance 31
Sampling Swabs are sampling multiple foci of infections and potentially multiple independent lesions Biopsies are directed to sites of acetowhite changes indicative of a single lesion Therefore, detection of HPV from biopsy-extracted DNA can help to assign a genotype-specific risk Other potential biases in interpretation due to sampling Assuming viral clearance when exfoliated cell sample is HPV negative Estimating viral load when using cumulative viral burden assay (e.g., commercially available hc2) Sherman, M.E., et al. (2003). CEBP, 12:1038; Gravitt P.E., et al. (2003). CEBP, 12:477 32
Limited Evidence of Improvement with Directed Sampling Tissue HPV Results Stratified by Matched Exfoliated Cell HPV Result (Single versus Multiple HPV Detection) 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% HPV Negative Single HPV on Exfoliated Specim en (N=81) Single/Type Agreement Single/Distinct Type Tissue Typing Multiple Types Less than 50% of specimens that showed multiple HPV types on exfoliated swab resolved to single infection via directed biopsy sampling 33
Sampling Swabs are sampling multiple foci of infections and potentially multiple independent lesions Biopsies are directed to sites of acetowhite changes indicative of a single lesion Therefore, detection of HPV from biopsy-extracted DNA can help to assign a genotype-specific risk Other potential biases in interpretation due to sampling Estimating viral load when using cumulative viral burden assay (e.g., commercially available hc2) Sherman, M.E., et al. (2003). CEBP, 12:1038; Gravitt, P.E., et al. (2003). CEBP, 12:477 Assuming viral clearance when exfoliated cell sample is HPV negative 34
HPV Persistence Natural history studies are consistent in observations that normal time-to-clearance is eight to twelve months on average Therefore persistence should be defined as repeated HPV detection for at least twelve months HPV infection is COMMON and heterogeneous MUST define persistence type-specifically 35
Influence of Interval Sampling Source: Woodman CB, Collins SI, Young LS. The natural history of cervical HPV infection: unresolved issues. Nat Rev Cancer. 2007;7(1):11-22. Copyright 2007 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved. 36
Section E Primary Prevention Opportunities: Prophylactic HPV VLP Vaccines
Virus-Like Particle (VLP) Vaccines HPV L1 expressed from a strong heterologous promoter will self-assemble into empty viral particles in yeast, insect, and bacterial cells Morphologically indistinguishable from native HPV virions Contains no DNA, therefore non-infectious (low risk) Clinical trials demonstrate excellent safety data Parenteral vaccination (three doses over seven months) induces nearly 100% protection 38
General Population Impact: GARDASIL Reduced HPV 16- and 18-Related CIN 2/3 or AIS HPV 16- or 18- related CIN 2/3 or AIS N GARDASIL or HPV 16 L1 VLP Cases N Placebo Cases % Reduction 95% CI Prophylactic Efficacy* 9,342 1 9,400 81 98.8% 93 100 HPV 16 and/or HPV 18 Positive at Day One -- 121 -- 120 -- -- General Population 9,831 122 9,896 201 39.0% 23 52 Impact * Includes all subjects who received at least one vaccination and who were naïve (PCR (-) and sero (-)) to HPV 6, 11, 16, and/or 18 at day one. Case counting started at one month postdose one. Includes all subjects who received at least one vaccination (regardless of baseline HPV status at day one). Case counting started at one month postdose one. Note: Table does not include disease due to nonvaccine HPV types. 39
ACS Guidelines Routine HPV vaccination is recommended for females aged 11 12 years Females as young as nine-years-old may receive HPV vaccination HPV vaccination is also recommended for females aged 13 18 years to catch up missed vaccine or complete the vaccination series 40
ACS Guidelines There are currently insufficient data to recommend for or against universal vaccination of females aged 19 26 years in the general population A decision about whether a woman aged 19 26 should receive the vaccine should be based on an informed discussion between the woman and her health care provider regarding her risk of previous HPV exposure and potential benefit from vaccination Ideally the vaccine should be administered prior to potential exposure to genital HPV through sexual intercourse because the potential benefit is likely to diminish with increasing number of lifetime sexual partners 41
ACS Guidelines HPV vaccination is not currently recommended for women or men over 26 years-of-age Screening for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer should continue in both vaccinated and unvaccinated women according to current ACS early detection guidelines 42
Screening Changes in Developed World: U.S. Example Current screening programs reduce cervical cancer burden by 80% At an annual expense of $4-6 billion Addition of vaccine will add substantially to cervical cancer prevention costs Requires revised screening strategies with central role for HPV testing Allow safe expansion of screening interval Sequential screening with HPV test first, followed by Pap HPV genotyping 43